Turkish strikes on Kurds, Egypt battles insurgents, Bin Laden bodyguard released, Europe drawing migrants from beyond Syria

TIO Headlines: September 23, 2015

Turkish army launches airstrikes on Kurds in Iraq

Turkish jets targeted a Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militant camp in northern Iraq, destroying munitions depots and caves, according to Turkish security forces. The Turkish army also claims to have targeted a facility being used for “education and logistics”.

Following the collapse of the ceasefire back in July, Turkey has regularly been attacking camps of the outlawed PKK. Over the course of the PKK’s three-decade insurgency, about 40,000 people have been killed. Turkish officials are also concerned about the Peoples’ Protection Units (YPG), which is an armed wing of the Syrian Democratic Union Party (PYD).

Turkey has asserted that the YPG has connections to the PKK, though State Department Spokesman John Kirby has announced that the United States does not consider the YPG a terrorist organization, and that they have actually proven effective in the coalition against the Islamic State in Syria.

Egypt’s military changes tactics against IS; Sisi pardons 100 prisoners

Egypt’s largest campaign against the Islamic State (IS) in the Sinai Peninsula is easing, according to its military spokesman. The campaign, which began after IS launched an attack in Sinai and partially seized the town of Sheikh Zuweid, has reportedly been successful; destroying hideouts, and capturing or killing IS jihadists.

Meanwhile, France released a statement Wednesday announcing that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will purchase two Mistral warships. It has not been announced how much Egypt will have to pay for these vessels, which are capable of carrying 16 helicopters, 4 landing craft, and 13 tanks. These ships were originally to be sold to Russia; however France retracted the offer following Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

The sale comes at a time when Sisi has also been under international pressure with Amnesty International accusing Sisi of human rights violations, in his efforts to suppress the Muslim Brotherhood. Amnesty has itself faced criticisms when it was revealed a senior Amnesty leader has MB ties. Still outside pressure was likely behind Egypt’s decision to pardoned 100 prisoners the day before the United Nations summit of world leaders. Among those released were Al Jazeera journalists which the Egyptian government credibly accuses of broadcasting false propaganda on behalf of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Former Bin Laden bodyguard released from Guantanamo

Veteran jihadist and former Osama bin Laden bodyguard Abdul-Rahman Shalabi has been released after 14 years in detention at the Guantanamo Bay facility and repatriated to his native Saudi Arabia. A member of Bin Laden’s security detail since 1999, Shalabi had received advanced training from Al Qaeda camps, and according to other detainee statements, was slated to engage in a 1999 suicide hijacking operation over Southeast Asia.

Upon his capture by Pakistani forces in December 2001, he was transferred to Guantanamo Bay, where he was judge a high risk detainee. He gained notoriety in 2005 for leading a hunger strike to protest his detention. His release comes after his agreeing to enter a rehabilitation program in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi rehab program is highly controversial, and the Saudis claim a recidivism rate of 20%. In a September 2014 terror raid, the Saudis found 59 of the 88 people they arrested were graduates of the rehab program.

European free-for-all draws migrants from beyond Syria

Following the news of the European Union’s agreement to distribute approximately 120,000 migrants among 23 countries, it is now reported that migrants from places like Iran, India, Pakistan, Egypt, Somalia, and many other impoverished countries are seeking to blend in with the Syrians and gain resettlement in Europe. According to the report from Vienna:

Swimming in the river of humanity are shady characters, too, admitted criminals, Islamic State sympathizers and a couple of guys from Fallujah, one with a fresh bullet wound, who when asked their occupation seemed confused.

Fallujah is presently under Islamic State control. However, Finn Borch Andersen, head of the Danish Security and Intelligence Service, is on record as saying that there is no evidence that jihadist groups are using the migrant routes to infiltrate fighters into Europe. Of course, this directly contradicts multiple reports, and including statements by Germany’s intelligence chief, that the migrants pose an incentive for jihadi recruitment and radicalization.

Other stories we’re following:

Kidnapped British women and her 5 children rescued, Insurgent group in Syria claims

“Moderate” US-trained rebels apparently give weapons to al-Qaeda in Syria

Taliban insurgency kills Georgian soldier in NATO attack, according to Georgian military

Burkina Faso civilian President Kafando restored following military coup

Kenya found weapons, drugs on Norwegian-flagged ship last week

Yemen’s President returns from exile in Saudi Arabia

US to decide whether to coordinate military action with Russia in Syria

Moscow believes chance of international agreement on Syria is high

Ukrainian president strong advocate of joining NATO

Putin inaugurates Moscow’s largest mosque

Some Russian soldiers refuse orders to deploy to Syria